East Rutherford, N.J. — Navy didn't just beat Notre Dame Saturday at New Meadowlands Stadium. They Midshipmen bullied the Fighting Irish. When it was all over, that was the most shocking aspect of it all. That was what you couldn't forget, and didn't want to if you were the Naval Academy.
It wasn't a surprise to see Navy win. The Mids had already won two of the last three meetings between these two programs coming into this game, which had more or less erased the memories of a 43-year losing streak that was finally snapped in 2007.
But to treat Notre Dame as though they barely belonged on the same field? No one saw that coming. Not the 75,614 in attendance, nor the millions watching at home.
But it happened. The Mids (5-2) shoved the Irish (4-4) out of the way with such frequency and ease during their 35-17 victory, the holes opened up by Navy's offensive line might as well have been shipping channels. Navy ran for 367 total yards, didn't commit a turnover and wasn't flagged for a single penalty.
"No doubt the most complete game of the year by our football team," Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said.
Fullback Alexander Teich — who lost his starting job to Vince Murray this year, only to get it back when Murray was injured — rushed for 210 yards and also caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ricky Dobbs. Notre Dame defenders looked like bowling pins every time they tried to get in Teich's way.
The few times the Irish succeeded in slowing him down, Dobbs simply kept the ball, running the triple option like a magician who has mastered slight of hand. Dobbs scored three touchdowns on the ground, tying him with Chris McCoy for the school record (43) for rushing touchdowns.
"The offensive line did a great job," Teich said. "I'm so proud of them. I had an easy job. My job is to run with the football. Ricky did a phenomenal job of reading the defense. When he reads it like that, it's a thing of beauty."
Notre Dame, which had never lost a game in New Jersey prior to Saturday (14-0) started the game by driving down to the 1-yard line, but Navy's defense held on a failed 4th-and-1 quarterback sneak by Dayne Crist. The Mids responded with a 99-yard touchdown drive that they finished off with a 31-yard touchdown on a screen pass from Dobbs to Teich. Teich made a delicate one-handed catch on the play, an early indication it was going to be Navy's day.
"I think I knew before the game [we would win]," Teich said. "I could see it in everyone's eyes, we were ready to play."
Notre Dame might have hung around a bit longer if not for a foolish series late in the first half. Trailing 14-10 with two minutes to play, Crist tried to throw the ball deep down the field, and it was intercepted by Mids defensive back De'Von Richardson. Navy's Gee Gee Green scored less than a minute later on a 9-yard run, which seemed to break Notre Dame's spirit going into the locker room.
"We had no answer for them today," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said.
The current senior class is just the third class at Navy to beat Notre Dame three times. The 1937 and 1964 classes also achieved it.
"That's a great feeling to have," said senior safety Wyatt Middleton. "We've had a lot of great football teams at the academy, but being able to say that my class beat Notre Dame three times, that's special right there. I'm in awe and blessed."
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